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REVIEWS for January's Theme: By An Author You Have Not Read Before
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Flight of the Cuckoo by K.L. Smith
5 Stars--Finished 1/1/19
This book is about a young girl who grows up without any real positive role models, without parents to speak of, and only one person to guide her through life...her lovable Aunt May. She grows up and marries a man she thought was a genuinely good guy, only to have him turn into a grade A jerk. He's manipulative, verbally/mentally abusive (this is only mentioned briefly, nothing overly graphic), and controlling. She begs for a divorce so they can both move on and be happier. He refuses thinking his well-to-do snobby parents will cut him off financially if his divorce brings shame to the family, so instead of granting her the divorce she so desperately wants, he tells her she has to stay married to him or end up homeless, penniless, and without their daughter as he'd take everything away from her including their one and only child. Not wanting to lose her daughter, despite the fact that her daughter is just like her father and revels in the moments she gets to put her mother down, she stays. Not able to endure the mistreatment of both husband and daughter any longer, she embarks on a creative, hilarious journey of revenge! Once she divulges the truth and her master plan(s) to her Aunt May, May immediately joins in the revenge plan, as does May's two younger male boarders! Together the four musketeers watch from a safe distance as their plans play out and her husband gets what he's been deserving for so long. The revenge plan ends up eventually extending to her In-Laws, and her adult daughter later in the book. This synopsis sounds more emotional and dramatic than I meant for it too, it truly is an extremely funny book.
Flight of the Cuckoo was super funny! I laughed the entire way through, and at the very end, with the unexpected heartwarming emotion K.L. Smith evokes with her writing, I even shed a tear or two. This is the first in a two book series, and I will be reading the second in the series before this year ends!
I have never read any of K.L. Smith's books before and am so very glad that I started with this one.
All for You by Laura Florand
4 Stars -- Finished 1/4/19
Celie and Joss grew up together in a poorer neighborhood in France. Celie surrounded by family members who were all involved in drugs, dog fighting, and various other criminal activity...Joss, her older brother's acquaintance, took it upon himself to be the big brother and protector Celie deserved. Celie develops a teen-age crush on Joss. Joss develops a little more than a crush on Celie. She's 18, he's 21. He knows it wouldn't be right to take advantage of her youth and inexperience, Joss runs off to join the French Foreign Legion for 5-years in order to become a better man, the kind of man worthy of Celie's amazing strength and character. Celie heartbroken over losing both her brother (who winds up in jail), and then Joss (who leaves without telling her of his feelings or his plans). She makes her own life for herself in a Paris chocolate shop, and becomes one of the top chocolatiers in the country. She's got a good life and has done well for herself, until Joss shows up unannounced standing at her workplace. Her world gets turned upside down. This story is about the two of them reconnected after their individual journeys of self-improvement. It's a love story that keeps you wondering whether or not they can truly find their way back to each other completely after so much time has passed and so much has changed.
Never having read anything by K.L. Smith before, I was glad I read this book. It's the first in a series of two (I think there's just two) books in her Paris Nights series. It's a great romance story that kept me interested the whole way through.
White Bodies by Jane Robins
3★
The story is told through Callie's point of view...which was really a plus for the book...especially since so many domestic thrillers are told through the perspective of the battered spouse or abusive partner. Callie is worried about her twin enough to go out of her way to try to find a way to help her...even if she didn't want it. The problem was with the characters who were all so unlikable that I had trouble choosing who to hope came out ahead. I know some would say that's easy...Tilda who was the abused spouse...but Tllda seemed to delight in tormenting Felix thus making herself a victim. It was an easy read that flowed very smoothly but hit another bump with an odd, unexpected ending that didn't fit well with the previous events of the story.
National Security by Marc Cameron
Jericho Quinn series Book #1
3★
As often happens with my "new series" reads they are because of a challenge that needs something to fulfill it. This one was not an exception to that rule. I had never read this author so really had no preconceived expectations. Turns out that our hero...Jericho Quinn... is an Air Force captain with very special skills. He has an ex-wife...a five-year-old daughter...and spends his life protecting others. He is described as dark skinned and speaks fluent Arabic. An interesting character but I believe I would very much like him more in a movie than in a book. I found that the book, while being an interesting enough was very descriptive and the good guys come off as super-heroes that can do not wrong. I'm not sure I will ever read book #2...unless I have another challenge....
Then She Was GoneThen She Was Gone, by Lisa Jewell
4*
Finished 01.07.19
Laurel Mack is the mother of 3 children when her daughter Ellie goes missing on her way to the library near her London home. There are few leads and the investigation reaches a dead end. Ten years later, her daughter’s partial remains are identified.
Once her daughter is laid to rest, Laurel bumps into a handsome man at a coffee shop and they begin a relationship. She meets his daughters and is transfixed by the resemblance between his 9 year old daughter and her deceased daughter.
The novel is easy to read, and very well written. There are some holes in the plot, and the “suspense” is easily foreseen. It is not my favorite book, but I give it high marks for an original and unusual plot.
My book will be "Saving June", I'm currently reading the whole series by Jenny Han after I will get to work on this book! I also need to read a Holocaust book for school but this will go to the side!
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Finished 1/6/19 -- 5 Stars
When I was in Jr. High & High School (grades 8 - 12) we were often given lists of books to read for our English related classes, that we would be asked to read and then give book reports on. Back then I always chose an easier book because I hadn't yet discovered my desire for reading. I have decided to read some of those books (the well-known classics) starting with The Scarlet Letter!
I was so glad to read this book. The language did get a bit overwhelming for me at times. I had heard it referenced so many times in TV shows and movies that I just HAD to know who the father of Hesther's child was, and why he too never got ridiculed for his sin as Hesther had been. I won't give it away here just in case someone else hasn't yet read this classic work. Needless to say I did figure it out before it was officially revealed, and was notably surprised at the interconnection between the characters because back at that time period, things like that just weren't talked about although I'm sure love triangles did happen. People are people no matter what era you place them in, right? That being said, I loved Pearl, and I loved the ending. Again, so glad I read this classic! Still trying to decide whether or not to read any of Nathaniel Hawthorne's other stories or not....Opinions? Suggestions?
Baking is Murder by Kathy Cranston
Finished 1/8/19 -- 5 Stars
Great cozy mystery full of laughs, fun, and a slight twist or two. Very glad I started this series! I absolutely love feisty 60-something Aunt Bee Martin! I also love Jessie's tenacity, and her love for nostalgia, her aunt, and cute dogs!! Instantly fell in love with these two main characters, and couldn't stop reading until I'd found out whodunnit!!
Picture Perfect Murder (Ryli Sinclair 1) by Jenna St. James
Finished 1/8/19 - 5 Stars
Funny, Entertaining, Unexpected Ending!
Two murders. Several suspects. Budding romances. One engagement. Three friends, one feisty aging aunt, and an aggravated Police Chief all trying to catch the killer before someone else dies. Loveable characters, a fast-moving storyline, and some twists and turns along the way make for a great story you won't be able to put down!
Emmaline Waters, This Is Your Life (Serendipity in Love 1) by Maggie Bloom
Finished 1/10/19 - 5 Stars
Fast-paced. Fun. Heartwarming.
Emmaline Waters is a young woman trying to get out of debt, and find her way through life. She's in a not-so-magical relationship, starts a new job as a food critic, and has a big secret accidentally revealed in the newspaper she's just been hired at. She's now faced with watching her life fall apart, and is wondering how she can salvage any part of it.
A great story with a few laughs, a few heartwarming moments, and wonderfully written characters.
5*
It is only the tenth day into the new year, but I may have just completed the best book I will read in 2019. Hank Green has set the bar pretty high. This book seemed to me to be a totally new idea.
One night in New York, a statue of a transformer/samurai/robot suddenly appears. It’s huge. When April May, a graduate with a degree in art, stumbles upon it she thinks it is amazing and calls her friend Andy to help her make a video to post to YouTube. She wakes the next morning to discover that she is a YouTube sensation for being the first to document the statue that she dubbed “Carl”. Even more amazing is that a total of 64 “Carl’s” appeared like magic overnight, in many different countries around the world.
April May and her group of associates become intrigued with solving the mystery of how Carl came to be and what he means to humanity.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and recommend it to everyone. It Is beyond awesome!
1 star
::::::::::::Spoiler alert ::::::::::::
I don't know were to begin with this review so I will start with back book cover. "Harper and her stepbrother Tolliver are experts at getting in, getting paid, and then getting out of town fast, because the people who hire Harper have a funny habit of not really wanting to know what she has to tell them." After Harper was hit by lighting she started having the ability to sense and find dead people. I do like this strange and unique ability to be presented but the rest of the book was creepy. I did not were the Author tried to take the Tolliver and Harper relationship. Stepsiblings, then to a couple, then on top that, coworkers, hum gross and way to much to toss together. Characters are not developed, story line is all over the place and at times flat. I had a very hard time getting into parts of the overall story. I did find one part of the book funny. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Roller. Your cat killed your husband in a freak accident," I said. I assumed this would be good news." "It was his first wife, that Angela. It was her, I know it! She went in the house while I was at the store, and she murdered him. Angela did it. Not my little Patpaws!" Love cat people, defend them no matter what and toss a human under the bus. LOL
3*
The Shack is not the kind of book I usually like, and I knew that going in. I chose it because of its inclusion on the PBS Great American Reads list.
The story opens with Mack, remembering the death of one of his daughters at the hand of a serial killer and the aftershocks that shaped his life. A trip to the mailbox nets him a handwritten note, ostensibly from God. The note is an invitation to spend the weekend with God at the very location police think his daughter was murdered. Mack is angry, but decides to make the trip. Once there he meets God and receives insights into the reasons his daughter was murdered.
The writing is excellent and the feelings Mack experienced are quite believable. If you enjoy Christian fiction, Nicholas Sparks books, are curious about God or are questioning your relationship with God , I highly recommend it.
The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey
3★
I'm not really a sci-fi fan...you guessed it.. I read it to meet a challenge...actually 2 challenges. It was an interesting story for about the first 100 pages and then I became bored with it. Everyone was eating everyone except for Melanie...who was the best character in the story...and the 6 people she started out with and they were soon reduced to 4 because everyone else had been eaten by this point. It was rather depressing as there was never any hope that anyone in the world would survive. It would have been better if the author had worked with the idea he had in the beginning to find a vaccine that would save mankind. Anyone that likes sci-fi will find it fascinating. I felt it did me a favor so I owed it the 3 stars.
Fiercombe Manor by Kate Riordan
5★
It's 1933 and we meet Alice for the first time. Pregnant, unmarried, and disgraced, she has been exiled to the rural Fiercombe Manor by her furious mother. Alice soon learns that all is not as serene as it seems and that she's not the first young woman to meet a tragic fate here...there is also Elizabeth whose story is 30 years into the past. How many more is anyone's guess. I found Fiercombe Manor to be a very pleasant surprise. It's an easy read and follows the lives of both Alice and Elizabeth by alternating chapters. It's not exactly a ghost story but ti diffidently has a brooding atmosphere. I gave it 5 stars for being well written with well developed characters a good mystery and the fact that I just liked the feel of the book.
The Hoarder's Widow by Allie Cresswell
4.5★
I've read about, and seen documentaries about hoarders that have died surrounded by the trash piled to the ceilings and beyond in their homes. I had to feel for Maisie but also count her lucky that Clifford wasn't a "messy hoarder"...some might even call him a "collector" whose collections got out of hand. Now Maisie has to deal with not only widowhood but his broken "treasures". The plot is simple and it takes the reader on a delightful journey as Maisie strives to put her house back in order. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a well written, well told tale.
Extreme Paranormal Investigations by Marcus F. Griffin
5★
Most of you know, that read my posts regularly, that I am a big-time ghost story junkie. This is a non-fiction book so I had to decide if I was going to treat it as fiction... in my mind at least. I don't know that I believe or not believe that ghosts exist. There has been evidence both for and against the theory. I decided that I was just going to enjoy these stories as just that..."stories". The author does a great job at telling them. He can make you feel that you are tagging along behind them as they investigate. What I really liked about Marcus Griffin's accounts was that he didn't try to sell his believes to the reader and he admitted that he could have been mistaken about some of the investigation. However you know that he and his team 150% believe they are absolutely true...but he lets the reader believe or disbelieve. So I had a book full of wonderfully, chill producing ghost stories and I am a happy camper.
1 star
I did not finish this book, I stopped reading after page 125. I could not get past the blame game and the lack of responsibly and accountably. Not going into anymore details.
4*
Dorian Gray is a young man just entering into society, and according to all who meet him is one of the most aesthetically pleasing beings they have ever met. He is adored by all, and in particular by an artist who eventually paints his portrait. It is his finest work, but Dorian Gray is reluctant for him to have it, afraid that his fleshly being will age, and the picture will not, thus always being a reminder of what he once was. The artist sadly turns the painting over to Dorian. He hangs it in an unused room in his home and covers it with a curtain.
The book goes on to tell of the adventures and misadventures of Dorian Gray. It is flippant, though serious. The conundrums raised about right and wrong, love and hate, selflessness and selfishness could lead to some wonderful discussions among book clubs or friends.
The writing is flawless, the prose is over effusive perfection. I recommend it to anyone, especially Wordy Wordsters who love the loveliness of a perfect phrase.
Mod
Christmas At Little Beach Street Bakery – Jenny Cogan – 3***
This is a fun chick-lit romance with some over-the-top coincidences and new-adult drama. Not much of a spoiler to say that it all works out with a fairytale HEA ending. I didn’t realize it was a series when I picked it up, and I don’t really feel that I was missing all that much for not having begun with book one. Have to say I really appreciated the recipes at the end – especially the hot chocolate!
LINK to my review
Mod
Carnegie’s Maid – Marie Benedict – 3***
Irish immigrant Clara Kelly comes to America in hopes of finding employment so that she can send money home to her impoverished family. She winds up as a lady’s maid in the Carnegie family’s Pittsburgh mansion. I was intrigued by the story and quickly caught up in the tale of this intelligent, resourceful, determined and diligent young lady. I did think it was somewhat repetitious, but still enjoyed this historical fiction that takes a few facts and weaves a compelling story to help explain them.
LINK to my review
Jane EyreThis novel was included on the PBS Great American Read List and thus made it onto my To Be Read list, even though I knew I would not particularly like it. Romance novels are something I usually avoid. Yes, I did give it 4 stars because it is a magnificent novel, and I can see why many people love it. I did not love it, however highly I rated it.
Poor Jane becomes an orphan, is sent to live with an aunt and uncle, and then finds herself in an orphanage at age 10, where she is tolerated, but never appreciated. At age 18, she leaves the orphanage to become a governess to a child.
There is romance, tragedy, and intrigue, but Jane holds her ideals aloft and carries on. One point in the story gave me pause. Jane was an orphan as a child --- unloved, unappreciated and misunderstood --- yet at one point in the story she is musing that some of the peasant children seem to actually be somewhat intelligent. How did she travel from her past to a place where she looks down on the less fortunate? Beats me. I hope you love this book like the millions of people before you, it just isn’t for me.
Mod
The Hamilton Affair – Elizabeth Cobbs – 4****
Cobbs is an historian, who also occasionally writes a work of historical fiction. The story unfolds in alternating perspectives: Alexander and Eliza each get a turn at relating events. In this way we get some insight into each character’s background, guiding principles, joys, sorrows and desires. While Cobbs’ sympathies were clearly with Hamilton, she did not shy away from pointing out his faults. I really appreciated how she developed Eliza’s strong character. I was interested and engaged from beginning to end.
LINK to my review
4 stars
Aaron Hernandez was an All-American college football player that moved on to play for the NFL. He made some very bad choices in his private life. I am sure his young age, with all that money, did not help with choices of friends and what to do with his money. "Aaron was linked to a series of violent incidents culminating in the death of Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player who dated the sister of Hernandez's fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins." Waste of talent and so sad for the family and friends left behind. As for James Patterson's presentation of the story, he keep me interested from start to finish.
Dead To The Last Drop
4*
Although this is #15 in the series, it is the first book of the series I have read. Our protagonist owns a coffee house in D.C., where she serves her master blends of coffee and some pretty tasty casual dining fare. When the daughter of the US President shows up to sing at her coffeehouse incognito things quickly start to happen. Soon Clare is on the run, trying - with the help of her boyfriend Mike Quinn - to solve a murder before she is arrested.
I found it to be action packed, (mostly) believable, very detailed and it held my interest. I tired somewhat of the lengthy listings of delicious menu items, but the story was strong. I recommend it to anyone who loves cozy mysteries, perhaps accompanied by coffee.
The Borrower, by Rebecca Makkai
4*
Evangelical Christian values take a hard hit in this book, so if that offends you, choose something else. If you like to read a little of everything and sort out the details for yourself you most likely will enjoy this novel.
A young librarian works in the children’s section of the library in Hannibal, Missouri. She becomes especially fond of one young patron, Ian Drake. Early one morning she arrives at work to find that Ian spent the night in the library and has no intention of returning home. And so their adventure begins.
The writing is wonderful, and the story is strong. I couldn’t stop reading until I had finished it. I would expect to see higher ratings for a book like this, but perhaps the judgment against religion plays a part in that. I would recommend this book to all who are able to see both sides of an argument.
The Mummy Case, by Elizabeth Peters
Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe Emerson are archaeologists who are participating in a dig in Egypt. They have taken their son Ramses (5 years old) with them, and of course Ramses constant companion Bastet the cat also accompanies them.
The dialog between the three is witty and wry. I found it very enjoyable. The three have not been assigned to digging in the pyramid, but are soon embroiled right in the middle of things, as a murder occurs.
It’s a good tale, quite humorous. I recommend it to everyone who needs a little light hearted comedy, especially if you have an interest in archaeology.
Six Months Later
Chloe fell asleep in study hall one bright day in May. She woke in mid winter with no memory of what had happened the past 6 months. She only knows that her best friend is no longer her friend at all, and she has the hottest boyfriend imaginable. How could her memories have vanished? How did she become an A student?
I found this young adult book to be totally absorbing, though perhaps a bit dramatic (but the main character is a high school student, so I guess that fits). It exceeded my expectations. I recommend it to all who enjoy Young Adult novels --- it is very entertaining!
The Housekeeper and the Professor
Prepare yourself for something different when you pick up a copy of The Housekeeper and the Professor. Oh my paws and claws, does this writer love math!!!
The characters are referred to mainly as “The Professor” and “The Housekeeper” throughout the book. The Housekeeper also has a son, who The Professor has nicknamed “Root” because the top of his head is as flat as a square root sign.
The Professor is a renowned mathematician, forced into retirement when a car accident leaves him with a memory that lasts only 80 minutes. He can remember the details of his life before the accident, but after the accident he only remembers for 80 minutes. Once the clock ticks past 80 minutes, he has no idea who people are, even if he has seen them every day after the accident. As a result, he pins notes to his suit to remind him of things such as “My memory only lasts 80 minutes.”, “The Housekeeper”, etc.
This is a very unusual story, so heartwarming that it will stay with you long after you close the book. I recommend it to those who love numbers and everyone else.
5 stars
Mike Dowling is deployed to Iraq with his military dog, Rex. Mike Dowling tells a little about his life before he joined the Marines and how and why he joined the Marines. He also tells how he became a dog handler. I enjoyed this read even though it is a hard subject to read about. You can tell the special bond Rex and Mike have when he tells the stories of the things they had to deal with during the war and their down time. Here is a couple of quotes from the book that stood out. "He can't stop himself from being a search dog. He loves what he does, and he does it so well" and "He knows I'm trying to show him that they're friendly, but I figure to Rex they must look and sound like a flight of avenging dragons." The writing is good and I like his straight forward story telling.
Mod
Winter Solstice – Rosamunde Pilcher – 3***
Five very different people, ranging in age from teen-aged to mid-sixties, converge on a Scottish cottage just before Christmas. The novel changes perspective with each chapter so the reader gets to know the characters slowly, learning what is important to each as they go about their lives. It’s a charmingly told story, and I grew to love these characters. It reminds me of Maeve Binchy’s books. This is the first book by Pilcher that I’ve read; it won’t be the last.
LINK to my review
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Books mentioned in this topic
Winter Solstice (other topics)Sergeant Rex: The Unbreakable Bond Between a Marine and His Military Working Dog (other topics)
The Housekeeper and the Professor (other topics)
Six Months Later (other topics)
The Mummy Case (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Maggie Bloom (other topics)Jenna St. James (other topics)
Kathy Cranston (other topics)
Nathaniel Hawthorne (other topics)
Laura Florand (other topics)
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This month's theme was suggested by SouthWestZippy -
Books by an author you have NOT read before
Happy reading!
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